Former Colac junior pursuing VFL spot

Geelong Falcons premiership player Jarrod Walters has signed with St Marys as his feeder club while he trains for a spot on Werribee’s VFL list.

Colac football export Jarrod Walters has joined pre-season training with VFL club Werribee in a bid to keep his AFL dream alive.

The 18-year-old this week signed with Geelong Football League club St Marys as his feeder club, as he prepares for a move to Geelong next year for university.

The former Colac junior missed out on a spot on an AFL list this year despite impressive seasons with Geelong Grammar and the premiership-winning Geelong Falcons, and he said he now hoped to land a spot on Werribee’s list.

Winchelsea’s Cassidy Parish and Colac’s Jack Williams are also training with the VFL Tigers.

“If I can get a spot I’d be keen, because I want to play the highest level of footy I can,” Walters said of Werribee.

“Otherwise I’m more than happy to play with St Marys and hopefully have another crack next year,” he said.

“Reaching the AFL is still the dream, there was a little bit of hope that I might get picked up this year but I didn’t expect too much.”

The Tigers contacted Walters after encouragement from the club’s new kicking coach David Newett, who coached Walters in APS school football with Grammar.

Walters captained the school’s side this year.

“David Newett mentioned me to Werribee’s coach, so I’ve been invited to do a pre-season with them,” Walters said.

“I had my first session on Monday and found it pretty tough, I’ll use the pre-season to get in good shape and get used to the bigger bodies because I haven’t played a lot of senior football,” he said.